antidepressant
Americanadjective
noun
-
antidepressants
plural
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of antidepressant
First recorded in 1960–65; anti- + depressant
Explanation
An antidepressant is a drug used to treat depression. Unfortunately, many antidepressants have unwanted side effects. Depression is a form of extreme sadness, when you're so sad that it impairs your ability to function. Words starting with anti are the opposite or go against other things. Antidepressants, then, are drugs that fight depression. If you’re depressed, a doctor can prescribe an antidepressant such as Prozac or Zoloft. Antidepressants can improve your mood, but they often have side effects such as weight gain or headaches.
Vocabulary lists containing antidepressant
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The pharmaceutical company was tangled in a public dispute over the allegedly harmful side effects of Prozac, its popular antidepressant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
The researchers then treated the organoids with escitalopram oxalate, a widely prescribed antidepressant.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026
The strongest effect appeared when researchers combined isosteviol, a sweetener used by the food and beverage industry, with the antidepressant duloxetine.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
Named after the antidepressant medication, the song tackles mental health and masculinity.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
They’ve upped his antidepressant, which doesn’t seem to make him any less depressed, but helps him to forget that he is.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
As Bamford’s friend, comedian Gary Gulman, says toward the film’s end: “Those interactions are antidepressants, and she’s created so many of these little antidepressants.”
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
Jair Bolsonaro is currently on antidepressants and is "stable," according to the latest medical reports, although his wife, Michelle, has said that the elections have made him "a bit anxious."
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
She is now getting divorced and taking antidepressants.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
SSRIs are among the most widely prescribed antidepressants.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
I know Marge doesn’t come out looking too good in this story, but we’ve had some long, intimate talks about hormones and antidepressants and other middle-aged things.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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